Light-reflecting device



Dec. 30, 1930. Q McLEAN 7 1,787,388

LIGHT REFLECTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 2, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l I upzuto qs CZFEE/Vf': Qaenaa "falls/7n I Patented Dec. 30, 193

it; uN1 TEn STATES PATENT OFFICE cnannncn e'anrmrin mamas nosrom uassacrmsmrs Lrcnr-anrmcrme' n'nvrcn i I v g I Application filed February 2, 192a. swarm. 251,863, The present invention relates to improve- Another object is to provide a device of ments in signals, signs, indicators and analothis class which enables signal, indicating-is;

gous devices of the class which are rendered Warning symbols or any appropriate rea luminous and hence distinguishable, readmatter to be placed thereon so that it will 5 able or observable, particularly at night, by be rendered highly luminous and clearly visi- ,;55

- A primary object of the invention is to h r ca ses.

light projected from an extraneous source. ble to the o erator of an approaching vehicle T e invention is more particularly applicawith illuminated headlights, the device comble to signals or indicators of the kmd adaptprising preferably a center reflector and 9. ed to be placed at highway intersections or surrounding cage or frame suitable for the atdangerous or other points along highways interchangeable mounting thereon of panels ;.,c o to warn the o erators of motor or other vering'any desired indications, signals, symhicles approac ingv themor to give,,such opbols or reading matter, and the'exterior cage erators directions or other appropriate inv or fr me Will serve as a guard to protect the formation. reflector from damage due to collision or 4 provide a, novel and improved device of this Another object is to provide a warning or class wherein the device as a whole and also ignal device of this class whereby the light a medium which may be u ed to color th projected thereon'by the headlights from an light reflected therefrom or to display signal pp g V l re reflected kt0 the 1. or direction symbols or indications or r adoperator of such vehicle so that the device ap Z ing matter are rendered highly luminous and pears as a brilliantly illuminated column or thus clearly visible to the vehicle operator post 'surrounded'iby a highly luminous band by the light projected on to the device by the which is preferably red or of other distincvehicle headlights while the vehicle aptive color, the band displaying warning or proaches'the device from any angle, the vesignal indications or readin or other matter "15 -3 tance from it and the operator being enabled embodies l g reflecting elements in -.}:3, this class which when laced at the to or device in upright position but will al ow it to "-59 visible to t -4 thefheadlights of a vehicle approaching it be hereinafter more fully set forth, the feat? another angle;

hicle operator being thus informed with cerwhich is clearly visible to t 6 vehicle opera- I tainty of the resence of the signal or warntor. :1 ing device 'wliile approaching it from any A further object of the invention is to prodirection and while at a considerable disvide a generally improved structure which to-easily discern such direction or warning junction with means for protecting such 1 indications or other symbolsor to read such l m ll against injury d e to Collisi n other matter as ma' be borne by the devi e. other causes in conjunction with a support- "Another object is to provide a device of ing base which will normally sup ort the 'bottor'n' of shill, is capa le of reflectin light tip or tilt over in the event of a collision of from theheadlights of'a vehicle ascen ing or a vehicle with it, thus avoiding or minimiz-' 'des'cendin the hill back to the operator of ing injury to the signal device and the vehicle such vehic e so that the device can be clearly and its occupants, the signal device being he operator and the indicating capable of returning automatically to its nor- '9 means 'or other matter thereon may be easily mal upright position. interpreted or read by such operator. To these and other ends the invention con- Another'ob'ect is to provide a device of sists in certain improvements and combina- "this class which will be so illuminated by tions and arrangements of parts all as will from one irection' and will so reflectlight tures of novelty being pointed out particuth'erefrom as to? give a warning of the aplarly in the claims at the end of the specifica- -pr'oach of such vehicle to the operator of tion. I another-"vehicle approaching the device at In the accompanying drawings:- a

' t Fig. 1 is a side elevation, part. y'in section,

'- of a warning or signal device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the intermedlate portion of the device, showing examples of si al or indicating means that may be applied thereto;

Fig. 4 is a detail view on an enlar ed scale of a portion of the exterior cage the device, showing means for removably and interchangeably mounting therein panels containing different indicating, signal or other matter;

Fig. 5 represents a detail sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 and looking in the directions of the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing a portion of the central refle cting element and a portion of one of the light transmittm panelsv in front of it, the dot-and-dot an dash lines indicating the manner in which the light froman extraneous source is difl'used by the lighttransmittingpanel and reflected by the reflecting element; v

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one form of light transmitting panel which may be used, it being viewed from the rear side;

' Fig. 8 is a pers ective view of a portion of another form 0 light transmltting panel which may be used, the same being viewed from the rear; 7

Fig; 9 is a perspective view of a portion of another form of light transmittin panel which may be used, it being viewed rom the rear side Fig. 10 is an exterior or front elevatlon of a panel which embodies a lens and which may be used in carrying out the invention; and

Fig. 11 represents a transverse section taken through the panel shown in Fig. 10 on the line 11-11 in that figure.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in the several figures.

The invention is shown in the present 1nstance as applied to warning or si a1 devices of the class adapted ,to be p aced at highway intersections or at appropriate points along highways for Warning, signal, traflic directing, information and similar purposes, and the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanylng drawings and will be hereinafter describe in detail. It is to be understood however that the invention is applicable to various other uses and may be em odied in various forms, and these will be included within the scope of the claims.

The device as shown comprises a base 1, a central reflector 2 and a surrounding cage or frame 3. The reflector and cage are preferably constructed as separate or separable units, the reflector being secured to the top of the base on which it rests by a screw 4' or other detachable fastening means, and the cage which surrounds the reflector preferably rests at its lower end on top of the base, and may be confined against displacement by a flange '5 which extends upwardly be yond the top of the base and surrounds the lower end of the cage. The top of the cage is removably secured to the top of the reflector by a stud 6 which is secured to and projects upwardly from the top of the reflector and is provided with a clamping nut threaded thereon, as shown.

The bottom of the base 1 is preferably approximately spherical, as at 7 althoughthe center of the bottom is flattened substantially as shown at 8 whereby the device may rest on the surface of a pavement or roadway and it will be normally maintained in upright position by a weight 9 which is contained in the bottom of the base section and is so proportioned to the weight of the remainder of the device that the weight 9 will normally maintain thedevice in upright position and will return it to such position after being tilted or tipped'out of that position. The device is shown in its normal uprightposition so that it rests onthe flattened portion 8 of its bottom section by the full lines in Fig. 1, and the dotted lines in that figure illustrate how the device may be tilted from. its normalupright position-as the result of a collision of a vehicle therewith. The cage 3 which surrounds the reflector is preferably composed of a suitable number of vertically extending circumferentially spaced rods 10 anda sultable number of ring-like circumferentially extending members 11 which may be welded or otherwise united rigidly I with the verticaimembers, the lowermost circumferential member 11 resting on the top of the base section 1 and fitting within the surrounding flange 5. The upper ends of the vertical me bers 10 are curved inwardly and welded or otherwise secured to a cap 12 which may be removably fitted down over the central stud 6 which projects upwardly from the top of the reflector, and the cage may be secured in place by application and tightening of the nut as shown. suitable portion of the cage, preferably the portion midway of the height thereof, is adapted to receive panels which bear any desired warning, signal, direction or other symbols or reading matter for traflic directing or other appropriate information puroses. As shown, the intermediate circumerential members 11 of the cage are provided, in the spaces between adjacent vertical members 10, with pairs of angle-irons 13 terential member of the cage, andeach pair of angle-irons is adapted to *removably re- .ceive the upper and lower ends of a frame 16 spaces intervenin the vertical members of the cage ,arelled with these panels, a polygonal band will beziformed'which encircles the reflectorintermediately of its height.

- posed area b vature of the, reflector.

.tlli

f'lhe reflector 2 comprises a support 19 which is preferablyhollow to attain lightness in weight, and the exterior surface of thissupport is covered throughout its ena reflector 20 which may be com csed o silvered or highly polished brig t metal which is-pressed or otherwise formed with diamond or other shaped im ipressions which provide multiple reflecting surfaces lyin in various planes. If diamend shaped impressions are used, each impression will be provided with four reflectlug-surfaces all lying in difierent planes. The reflecting surface is enerally circular in each cross section thereo taken transverse of its vertical axis, and is concave in an axial direction, the radius "of its axial concavity determining the distance of aheadlight or other source of light from the reflector at which the upper and lower ends as will as the centher ot the reflector will be in focus therewit .2

The'circulartransverse cross section of the reflector enablesit to reflect back to the eyes of. the 0 orator of an approaching vehicle li ht progected on to the re ector irrespective o? the angle at whichthe vehicle approaches the-device, and the multiplereflecting surfacesl ing' in various lanes and whichconn ose tl'le reflector are rilliantly illuminated y the headlights of the vehicle so that the devise appears in the eyes of the operator thereofas a brightly illuminated column. This is especially sowhen the approaching vehicle reaches the point where its head'- lights are at the focal point of the axial cur- I The axial curvature of the reflector-also causes the device to be brilliantl illuminated in the eyes of the operator o a vehicle approaching the device when the same is placed at the top or the bottom of shill, as the light beams from the headlights oi such vehicle will be at an ellicient angle of reflection to the lower concave "portion-of th'e reflector-when the device is located at the'hottorn of a hill and the vehicle is descending suchhill and such light beams will strilre the upper concave portion of the reflector at an eficient angle of reflec tion when the device is'plaeed atthe top of a hill and the automobile is ascending the hill. 'li he'convenity of the reflector in tran verse plane's will causethe light beams from the headlights of a vehicle approaching the device from one angle to impinge upon and be reflected from thesides of the, reflector at various other angles, and these reflected rays will inform operators of vehicles on intersecting highways of the approach of other vehicles .to an intersection at which the device may be placed. '1 he top of the reflector is preferably formed with a rounded or substantially hemispherical dome 21 which may have a reflecting surface thereon like that on the sides of the reflector, this convex top acting to reflect beams of light from street lights or other sources or light above the device in directions which will reveal the presence'of the device to the operators of unlighted vehicles and-pedestrians. 'l he base section 1 is also preferably provided exterior-1y with a reflector 22 which preferably embodies multiple reflecting surfaces like those form ing the sides of the reflector, and the base section is preferably circular but tapered axially so that it increases in diameter toward its lower end, this approximately conical formation of the reflector on the base section presenting this reflector so that it will efiiciently reflect light rays projected'onto it from a higher level, as for example from the headlights of motor vehicles in close proximity to it.

The panels 17 which are adapted to bear the warning or'other signals, trafiic directions or the like are composed of glass or other light transmitting material and are preferably colored appropriately according to the use to which'the device is applied red being appropriate for example in marliing highway intersections or danger points and amber for marking safety zones 'or other places where caution is to be indicated.

Each anel, as shown in Figs. 6 to 9 inelusive, as preferably a smoothor plane front lace and aprismatic rear face, the latter face being opposite to and spaced outwardly a suitabledistance from the surface of the reflector 20 to he in focus with it or to shoetively receive light rays reflected back to it from the reflector. The prismatic face may be formed in difl'erent ways, it being composed in Fig. 7 of a number of continuous orizontally elongated prisms 23 which are arranged in parallelism and one above and imme iately next to the other throughout the height of the panel, or as shown in Fig. 8 wherein 17 represents one corner or a panel the rear face of the panel may be formed with vertical and horizontal rows of flat sided prisms 24- which are in the form of pyramids which are distributed uniforml throu hout .Y n

the width and height of the panel. The panel ll shown in Fig. 9 has its rear face formed with vertical and horizontal rows of conical portions or projections 25 which extend throughout the width and the height of the panel.

5 shows diagrammatically the action trating the panel will be refracted or di used' downwardly so that they strike the reflector as is indicated by the dotted lines, the light penetrating the panel being colored according to the color of the glass'or other medium composing the panel and the light being spread over a relatively large area of the reflector and moreover the light rays strike the multiple surfaces of the reflectorv at various angles. Some of the light rays which pass through the panel will strlke the portions of the reflector above and below the panel and such light will be reflected back.

to the operator of the vehicle or to the vicinity of the source of light, and the light thusreflected will be of the same color .as

I that of the panel. Most of the light passing through the panel to the reflector howeyer will be reflected from the multiple reflectmg surfaces of the reflector back. to the panel and will highly illuminate the rear side of the panel and will make the panel appear in the eyes of the operator of the approaching vehicle to glow brilliantly and in the same color as that of the panel. The glow thus produced willbe visible to the operator of. the approaching vehicle for a considerable distance, due to the brilliancy of the glow and to the lens effect of the prisms. The portions of the reflector'2O above and below the panels will reflect light from the headlights of the a proaching vehicle so that these portions 0 the device will appear to be brilliantly illuminated to their full width, thus giving to the device the appearance of a luminous column or post, assuming the device occupies its normal upright position. If the device occupies a horizontal or other position, it will be rendered luminous in substantially the same manner as has been described so that the presence of the device will be clearly discernible. The

substantially circular form of the reflector in a tranverse direction'enables light rays from the headlights from an approaching vehicle to be reflected back to the operator thereof, at any angle from which the vehicle may approach the device, as the impinging rays from the headlights will always strike some of the multiple reflecting surfaces so that-they will be reflected back to the panel or to the operator of the vehicle.

In using the form of panel shown in Fig. 8, the prisms 24 at the rear side thereof will act to refract or diffuse the light penetrating the panel in directions both vertically and horizontally so that the light from the panel will be diflused in both of these directions over the reflector, and the reflection of the light rays, from the reflector back to the prisms on the rear face of the panel Wlll. produce a high illumination and the glowing effect described above with respect to the form of panel shown in Fig. 7 and the pyramids will act as lenses to project the light back from the device to a relatively great distance. In using a panel having conical projections 25 on its rear face as shown in Fig. 9, the diffusion or spreading of the light from the panel on to the reflector takes place in all directions about the axis of the cones and the luminous effect and the projection of the light to a great distance from the device are attained, substantiall been described in connection with ig. 8.

' The forward or outer face of each panel may be plain or some'of the panels may bear any. appropriate warning or signal device or symbol or traific direction or other markings or symbols or some of the panels may bear information or other reading matter. For example in Fig. 3 one of the panels bears-the name of a destination point as indicated at 26 while other panels bear direction indicating arrows 27. Thesemarkings may be. applied to the panels in any suitable way, the markings for example being composed .of

as has v glass or other transparent or substantially transparent material which may be tinted with a color which will be distinguishable from the color of the panels, the glass elements com osingthe markings being for example inlaid and fused or cemented in the outer faces of the respective panels.

One or more of the panels may be composed of a glass or plate 17 which may be either clear, or colored and formed centrally or at some other portion thereof with a jewel 28 which is composed of glass or other light transmitting material which is. convex at its outer or front face and concave at its inner or rear face, the outer and inne'rfaces having numerous plane surfaces 29 which form lenses or facets which will-diffuse light from approaching'headlights over the multisurface reflector behind the jewel and will receive light reflected back from the reflector and will project it back from the device for a relatively great distance, and the facets will act as lenses to concentrate and intensify the reflected light. I

When the device is employed as a warning or other'signal and is constructed with a central reflector and suitably colored panels arranged transversely thereof substantially as hereinbefore shown and described, the device is rendered clearly visible to the o erator of a'motor vehicle approaching the evice and his attention is called -to the presence of the device and its significance by the brilliant glow of a panel or panels and the luminous menses appearance of the reflector above and below the panel, produced by the projection of light thereon from the headlights of such approaching vehicle.

- and will insure eficient reflection of the light therefrom back to the eyes of the operator of the vehicle.

The luminous glow of the appropriately 'colored panels not only renders the device visible but it also illuminates such warning, directional or signal indications, symbols or other markings that may be applied to the panels so that they'may be easily seen and read or interpreted by the vehicle operator.

When used as a signal or traffic directing or controlling means at the intersection of highways, the base of the device is preferably rounded and weighted so that the device will tend to stand normally in upright position but will yield if collided with by a vehicle, and return automatically to normal upright osition, but if the device should lie in a rec ining position, it will be rendered luminous and clearly visible to the operator ofan approaching vehicle by the light. rays from the headlights of such vehicle and hencethe device will still perform its intended function.

In using the device as a caution or warning signal to, protect safety zones or to warn vehicle operators of dangerous points along highways, the device may be mounted on a post and the post may have the reflector applied over its exterior face, the light reflected back to'the operator of an approaching vehicle from the headli hts of such vehicle warning the operator 0 the presence of the post.

It will be understood, of course, that the invention may be used not only. in conjunction with motor vehicle traflic for direction, control or safety purposes but may be used advantageously for other similar purposes as for example, for marking or indicating the location of an aviation field and outlining the edges or limits thereof to an aviator when landing at night, in which case the device may by rendered luminous by light beams projected onto by a light or lights carried by the aircraft, or from any other suitable source.

While the panels will project li ht rays back to great distances when the lig t beams from headlights strike the panels at substantially right angles to their planes, substantial reflection will be obtained from the panels when the light rays strike them from either side and such light rays will also be reflected directly from the reflector, so that the device may be clearly seen by motor vehicle operators when it is placed alongside a highway as a danger or warning signal.

I claim as my invention 2- 1. A light reflecting device of the class described comprising an upright column-like reflector em odying multiple reflecting surfaces arranged at different relative angles and a band or" colored prismatic light transmitting and diflusing panels extending circumferentially around and spaced radially from said reflector between its ends.

2. A light reflecting device of the class described comprising a column-like reflector element, a base supporting the reflector element, a cage surrounding the reflector and resting on the base, and a band of light diffusing panels carried by the cage and surrounding the reflector between its upper and lower ends,

3. A lig t reflecting device of the class described comprising a base, a column-like reflector element resting thereon, means for removably securing the reflector element to the base, a skeleton-like cage surrounding the reflector element and resting on the base, and means for removably securlng the cage at its top to the top of the reflector element and for holding the lower portion of the cage in position on the base.

4. A light reflecting device of the class described comprising a column-like reflector, and a cage arranged exteriorly thereof, the cage embodying intersecting rods forming open spacesbetween them, and an annular series of li htdiflusing panels mounted in some of said spaces.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand CLARENCE GARFIELD MoLEAN. 

